Since the heart attack, minor stroke,
Atrial Fibrillation and COPD made me useless to the people of the parish and
forced me to move into a warden-assisted flat for retired folk, I have been
trying Novus Ordo (N.O.) parishes in
the locality for a decent act of worship. Unfortunately all I have found is
acts of community celebration: affirmation of the people; applause for children
after their separate liturgy of the word, and homilies focused on social
justice rather than on God lovingly calling sinners to individual repentance
and conversion of life. The Masses I have attended have anything but prayerful;
more a community get-together than the adoration and propitiation of God which
the General Instruction of the Missal sets before us. Indeed the ethos of every
N.O. I have attended recently has
been one in which the Mass is presented as something to be enjoyed and the folk
are to be affirmed. Further, I have found in conversations at such Masses a
common rejection of long-standing Catholic dogma (for some the Mass is about
attending the Last Supper, not the making present of the sacrifice of the
Cross; for some there is a questioning of the Church as the One True faith,
leading to religious indifferentism, and for others there is a serious questioning
of ordaining males exclusively). As a result I feel many who attend the N.O.
are in a state of material heresy. Truly, every N.O. Mass I have attended has left me desperate for a celebration
of Mass in the Traditional Form.
Sadly, if those who attend the N.O. veer towards heresy and
self-adulation, among those who attend the Traditional Form (Usus Antiquior) there are some who seem
to suffer from pride and a lack of charity (wherein Popes, Bishops and priests
are judged as lacking and even wicked because “they deliberately ignore defined
articles of faith and turn the liturgy from the adoration of God to the
affirmation of man”). While N.O. folk
are happy seeing more and more jollity in the Mass, hard-core Traditional folk
become more and more entrenched in their narrow doctrinal understandings.
The Church, I submit, is in a mess in
all facets of its life today: doctrinally, liturgically and pastorally. I am
more and more convinced that what is required is a return to the Traditional
Catechism in schools, colleges and seminaries, and a liturgy that is solemn and
directed towards the Lord (with ad
orientem posture, the use of Latin for the Ordinary of the Mass, and
reception of Holy Communion on the tongue from the hand of the priest), be that
Mass celebrated in the N.O or the Usus Antiquior. Unless we get back to
upholding defined teaching and liturgy that is God focused, the Church will
never be ‘Fit for Purpose’: the saving of souls.
Why would the Church ‘Not Fit For
Purpose?’ Because ignoring defined teaching is ignoring Christ the Truth (the enemy
of whom is the father of lies) and because liturgy that is focused on the affirming
and jollying-up of the folk is thereby man-centred and thus, idolatrous. Lies
and idolatry do not lead to heaven. Nor does a narrow interpretation of
doctrine held in uncharitable manner. For the sake of souls, let us get back to
teaching the Catechism, worship that is God-centred, and charity in all things.
Father,
ReplyDeleteMy heart bleeds for you and you are in my prayers.
Thank you.
DeleteWe all bleed when unable to find a prayerful Mass to attend, don't we? We are deprived of a setting conducive to readying ourselves to have am intimate union with the Lord.
God Bless.
Whilst unable to comment on seminary teaching (although quite apparent in some priests) we cannot expect 100% Catholic teaching in our schools unless we have 100% Catholic teachers, and that most definitely is not the case. Or secondary schools have (only just) a majority of Catholic students so where can we expect future generations of Catholic teachers & priests to come from?
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I attend 1 NO Mass each week & most of the time Mass is celebrated in a worthy fashion & sermons don't tend to be anything but good comment on the readings. I do, however, much prefer the EF Mass which I (& even I believe the bishop) find more prayerful & centred on God.
Thank you.
DeleteI'm sure there are some N.O. Masses offered prayerfully and in conformity to the liturgical norms, but they are not easy to find and often at an off-putting distance.
God Bless
Well said Fr and so true. It is a fact that the Church is divided between the NO folks and the traditionalists. The Church is being weakened and is not battle ready for the Islamic attack that is coming soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteYes, the Church is divided between N.O. folk and Traditional folk, and what makes it even more difficult is that there are many material modernists in the former and a few extremists in the latter.
God bless
Maybe the reason for the division is because the traditional Catholic is the one that follows the Church as it evolved over 1970 odd years and the NO folk follow a church that started about 46 odd years
Deleteago. I speak from the position of someone that was about 25 years old in 1970 and one that endured the
NO with a great deal of zeal and gusto for over 40 years ,until about 6 years ago when I rediscovered the traditional Latin rite.That makes me 73 years of age. I regret the loss of that venerable rite for over 40 years. The Latin rite? the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven.
Thank you Geoff,
DeleteYes, the division is between those who are in continuity with the ancient Church and those who cut off anything that predates 1965 (when the Vatican II ended). The New liturgy goes hand in hand with a new Church, many would say. Certainly doctrines seem to be being jettisoned, and liturgy has become a playground. Mass in the Traditional Rite was first described by Father Faber the famous convert, as 'The Most beautiful Thing This Side Of Heaven'. Who would argue with that?
God Bless.
Father, I am really sorry for your health problems. Sometimes it is really hard to understand the cross we are given. Perhaps your role is now going to be teaching on your blog rather than in a parish. Your comments always seem well-balanced and faithful to the truth. I attend a NO parish for Sunday and weekday Mass and I also attend an extra Mass on a Sunday afternoon in the extraordinary form. I would describe myself as very traditional. I really want to improve spiritually. God has given me many graces and in particular has allowed me to see that these last few years of my life are an opportunity to learn to correspond with His grace to the best of my ability. Unfortunately, it is difficult to have regular access to priests who know the Faith well and who are zealous for souls. We have all grown tepid and we need encouragement to become strong and firm without losing charity. God bless you in your efforts.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteMy health problems are more of a knife-edge than daily difficulties in that one never knows when one might have another cerebral or cardiac event, but one gets on with things and tries not to live as though they had already happened! Thank God the CVA was minor and has left no real speech or mobility problems (I am told by the doctors that I am safe to drive, for example), and the M.I. (heart attack) allowed for the insertion of four stents to ensure a myocardial blood supply. The daily difficulty comes from the COPD since the breathlessness interferes with absolutely everything, even long conversations and housework.
I hope my comments are balanced and indeed, fair. What makes a blog difficult to wrote or a homily difficult to deliver is that it is a sinner who writes and delivers them, but I suppose that if we were to wait for the perfect before teaching (in any form other than example of life) we would be waiting forever. God uses even the broken and the weak, and helps us advance in ways that allow us to help others along the road by giving them the same prescription God has given us -even if we aren't good at complying with the prescription ourselves!
It is truly hard to find a prayerful N.O., the ethos of the Rite being that we should enjoy it and be affirmed by one another for the building of community. Mass facing the people puts the priest front and centre as the principle 'actor', Christ decreases and we increase (which is the wrong way round!) whereas having the priest face God allows him to disappear and let Christ to be the highlighted in what is, after all, the 'Actio Christi' (Action of Christ: He does the offering of Himself).
God Bless.
So very sorry to hear of your ill-health. Parish life is getting terribly pressured. You will be in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI pray for all the readers of the blog, and remember them in my Mass Intentions.
God Bless.
Dear Father Dickson, I am so saddened by your post! I do understand your comments. I have been a SSPX attendant for over 30 years in the 'Wild West' of the US. It is a sad situation we find in the Church. I am suddenly refreshed in the writings of St Pius X whose feast day we celebrated yesterday. Somehow God will show us His will and His way in the coming days. You are mentioned daily in my rosary. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary.
DeleteIt is all very sad when one stands outside of one's position as either a N.O. or Traditional Catholic to take an objective look. There are many good folk on both sides (we might say 'in both camps'), the sadness is that we really are a divided Mystical Body of Christ, and we continue to scourge the Body of our lord by our differences and antagonisms. Really, no one in authority (the Bishops and their advisers) has taken Pope Benedict's desire about reconciliation at the heart of the Church by not only permitting but encouraging use of the TLM so that both 'camps' see that we can live together. I know; I've tried to have both in my parish; because the authorities did not give public support to the TLM it simply allowed the parish to grow in its divisions and antagonisms. There is a huge pastoral failure in not authoritatively reminding folk that either form of Mass, celebrated in its integrity, is a licit expression of the unity with the Holy See and and of the Catholic Faith, for they have allowed the individuals chosen form of Mass to become flags of division to be waved, above which flags there are imagined banners of "I reject the pre-Vatican II faith" and "I reject the post-Vatican II faith". Truly, the solution to the crisis of the Church rests with the Bishops.
God Bless.
Father ,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, did not realise you were in such a medical state.
I too find the New Mass a bit trying. My particular bug is the 100% shuffle to receive Holy Communion something, on some days, I just cannot bring myself to join in on. This shuffle is typified by one person I saw last Sunday picking his teeth on the way back and rubbing his finger on trousers!
I don't know what the answer is but we Catholics have a very wobbly tight rope to tread these days.
Personally I couldn't care less about the rule book in certain circumstances ( followed by Confession of course ) but we have to start from the rule book or else what's the point?
If you get too depressed ignore anything I say. Consult Eccles!
Thank you.
DeleteAs I have said above, my health problems are more of a knife-edge than daily difficulties, other than the COPD.
I have lots of practical irritations when attending the Novus Ordo: the noise in Church which prevents prayerful preparation; the shuffling queues for Communion, the mess and noise that occur together at the Pax and the slap-happy way Holy communion is received (in the hand, like a bus ticket).
I do however, like to follow the rules; they provide for good order without which there is chaos.
God Bless.
Father,
ReplyDeleteRead the second paragraph and then read the first. In the second paragraph you criticise traditionalists for holding similar opinions you expressed in the opening paragraph! In fact, some could say your "narrow doctrinal understandings" have lead you to uncharitably criticise "Novus Ordo (N.O.) parishes in the locality." Your words give the impression that local priests are "lacking" because they fail to offer a "decent act of worship." Instead of lamenting, you should start leading by example; help your brother priests and start teaching the local parishioners.
Thank you.
DeleteI am Traditional so I am bound to hold similar opinions to Traditionalists. I have to say that one is not uncharitable in commenting on behaviours, but in pointing out and criticising individuals. The N.O. Masses in the locality are people-focused and the churches noisy. that is simply stating facts, not making a judgement.
I have tried to offer example but came to be regarded as less than caring because there is a flawed opinion that if one is interested in liturgy and ad orientem worship, one is turning one's back on people not only in liturgy but in general. I would say i have been found to be very caring and concerned with individuals in crisis and on-going need, and always spoken (I hope) respectfully to those who have expressed disagreement. I do not like to have people judged and described negatively.
God Bless.
Father Gary,
ReplyDeleteEvery Sunday evening I do an hour of Adoration for priests only. I started it (in addition to my other weekly Saturday evening adoration) because I was troubled by a post by Fr. Gordon MacRae, an unjustly imprisoned priest in America, who, of course cannot go to Adoration, and who wrote about this lack, being imprisoned.
As such, I thought, if I can go on behalf of priets who cannot get to Adoration, because either they are imprisoned -as is Fr. MacRae- or are in confined to their beds in hospital, then I should. ...and actually must do so.
The intent of this weekly hour of Adoration has grown to include all priests, though specifically those who cannot go to Adoration themselves. You are included in that list that I put before Our Lord, and His Mother.
I hope you keep writing about the Catholic Faith. I am printing your posts on 'Why Be Catholic?'. As others have mentioned, I find your posts balanced and clear...and I might add, full of love for the Catholic Faith and Church.
While you are no longer in active ministry, there is no doubt in my mind that you are providing much needed water to parched souls...such as mine.
Your are in my daily prayers as well, as I pray for orthodox Catholic bloggers, as this seems one of the few means that the Catholic Faith is now proclaimed.
Thank you and God bless
GC,
DeleteWhat can i say other than 'thank you' ? You and yours are in my Mass intentions.
God Bless.
"Hard core traditionalist entrenched in there narrow doctrinal understanding"
ReplyDeleteWhat does that mean...? can you give examples?
Thank you Geoff.
DeleteI was trying to find a way to explain those who are so OTT in their understanding of the Mass that they have suggested (to me) that Mass was not valid because the priest did not wear a maniple or some such thing. Some folk are so scrupulous as to see problems where there are none -tha maniple is the progression of the priest's handkerchief and has no bearing on validity.
Hope that helps.
God Bless.
By the way Father I have just found your site and have added it to my favorite's bar. God bless you for the good work you are doing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Geoff.
DeleteI hope you find the blog useful.
God Bless.